“I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” —Psalm 34:1
There’s something about walking amid the beauty of creation that leads me to sing. Something stirs in my heart and suddenly I’m humming a tune. And soon the words of that song find their way to my lips:
“New every morning is your love, O Lord
Fresh your compassion daily dawns
New every morning is your mercy and grace
You are faithful; you are strong
Lord, I thank you for this day”
On my quarterly retreats in Illinois, my spiritual formation cohort of about 125 people sings this song of praise together in the chapel most mornings. (Rory Noland, New Every Morning) We gather to worship up to four times each day, and this has become my favorite part of the retreat. We know the songs by heart and sing them to one another and to the Spirit who has been stirring in our hearts.
So when we vacationed in Canmore, Alberta, recently, my morning walks by the Bow River were occasions to sing. (Funnily enough, singing while hiking in bear country has the added benefit of alerting bears to your presence, lessening the chances of an unexpected and unwanted encounter!) As I witnessed the might and grandeur of the mountains, the strange and stunning turquoise tint to the river, and the fresh beauty of the flowers and evergreens, I felt so close to our Creator and awed by God’s handiwork. So, of course, I offered songs of praise. How could I not?
This Sunday is not only the launching of our 2025-26 program year, but also the end of our Divine Imagination series. Todd and Jenee O’Connor will help us explore and experience one of the most moving images in all of Scripture: MUSIC! Can you imagine practicing faith without music, singing, or songs of praise? Neither can I!
Music captivates us and grabs ahold of us. It comforts and inspires. It gives an outlet for our emotions and focus for our affections. Music leads us into wisdom and truth. It’s the response of attentive and grateful hearts.
Each of us was created to worship. It is the most natural response to an encounter with God or an experience of God’s grace. One of the things I love about our Crossroads church family is that we don’t come to Sunday service expecting to be entertained; we come to worship to be full and eager participants in the service. I hope you’ll come this Sunday, September 7, eager to add your heart and voice to the chorus of praise. For we were made to worship, and we cannot contain the joy and wonder and gratitude bursting from our souls.
Grace upon grace,
Pastor Scott
